House approves bill to separate and strengthen seclusion rules for schools, sponsors call it first step to ban

The Colorado House on March 31 approved House Bill 12‑48, which reorganizes and clarifies state law on seclusion and restraint in public schools and adds data‑reporting requirements, sponsors said. The bill passed on third reading after floor debate that included emotional testimony from members urging a full ban on seclusion.

Representative English, who opposed the bill, described the practice as harmful and urged lawmakers to ban seclusion outright. “The act of locking our students in rooms where they are watched through a glass window or on a surveillance camera like animals in a zoo,” she said, adding a story about a 13‑year‑old named Jonathan King who died by suicide after being placed in seclusion.

Sponsors and supporters said the bill separates school seclusion rules from other statutes, clarifies monitoring and reporting duties, and adds protections for students with disabilities. Representative Zocai, a sponsor, said the measure creates a clearer statutory framework and data collection so lawmakers and regulators can enforce safeguards: “Currently, our law leaves students vulnerable. Regulations for schools are tangled up with regulations for restraint and secured facilities. So this bill is taking that first step to separate out that section and to make it specific for schools.”

Supporters said the measure also adds reporting requirements to produce usable data on how often seclusion occurs and whether there are violations. Opponents — and some sponsors — said the bill does not go far enough and called for a complete ban; supporters said passage would establish statutory clarity that could enable a later ban.

The House adopted HB12‑48 on third reading by a recorded vote of 43 yes, 21 no and 1 excused. The bill moves to the Senate for further consideration.